The pair celebrated victory early in the season both in Spain and in the Czech Republic, but since then things have been more difficult. The duo have suffered retirements in the Antibes Rally in France and the Ypres Rally in Belgium.
A third consecutive retirement came once again after a dominant performance in Lahti on Friday. The engine failed after the final special stage, leaving no option but to retire.
“The engine failed! The engine had been opened before the rally and we did everything we could to make sure nothing would happen. Still, it broke,” Latvala told RallyJournal.com regretfully.
“It’s really putting up a fight,” Latvala added with frustration.
In the Lahti round, Latvala and Hussi had set the fastest times on every stage before their retirement. The same was the case in Belgium at the end of August, when the engine failed on the third-to-last stage on the final morning.
In France, meanwhile, Latvala and Hussi were forced to call it a day before the final special stage due to an electrical fault. On that occasion too, the pair were in a commanding lead.
A home victory is still in sight in the Lahti Historic European Rally Championship event. Before Sunday’s six special stages, the rally is led by Marko Uutela in an Opel Ascona. Marko Rämänen, driving an Opel Kadett, trails Uutela by 45.7 seconds. In third place is Britain’s Seb Perez in his Porsche.
